Long Distance Love
by DSISandraPullman39
Summary: Sadnra is away at a conference and missing someone special. Rated M for sexual content so if it's not your thing stop now!
1. Chapter 1

**Long distance love**

**Disclaimer**:- I don't own New Tricks nor the characters which is just as well or there'd be a lot more things that would mean it had to be shown later at night!

**Pairing**;- Sandra / ?

**Rating**:- M

**Authors note**:- This story contains adult material and is rated M for strong language and scenes of a sexual nature (as they say on the TV!) so if that's not your thing stop now !

**Summary**:- Sandra has been sent to a police conference in Cardiff and she's missing someone special but then that's what computers and instant messengers were made for right ? This is a three chapter story and the identity of Sandra's chat buddy is revealed in chapter 3 in the meantime happy guessing :)

Wednesday - 10.30am - Day 1

The room bustled with the inane chatter of over 100 police officers as Sandra stared out the window still silently sheathing that she was here at all. The last thing she needed was a course on team dynamics that would make no difference anyway. The long established dynamic of her team was that she gave them instructions, they agreed, she turned her back and they buggered off and did exactly what they pleased anyway! To the people in that room that would have seemed unconventional at best and poor leadership at worst but it worked for them and she thought that has been accepted by the powers that be. Now it appeared that had just been wishful thinking on her part.

As the speaker on the small raised podium rearranged his papers for the tenth time she felt her mobile vibrate quietly in her jacket pocket and reached for it not bothering to be discreet as no one else was paying attention to their lecturer either. Hitting the text message button she smiled to herself as the screen lit up with one new message from "trouble". When their relationship had changed she'd spent hours thinking of what name she should link to his number. She could of course just have left it as it was but given how prone she was to leaving her phone lying around and how prone others were to lifting it that had seemed risky. In the end with the realisation of how problematic their burgeoning relationship could be trouble had seemed like the most apt description. Even now when those around them knew that they were no longer just friends and colleagues she couldn't bring herself to change it. It meant more to her now than a simple covert nick name it was something that reminded her of when things were new between them. Not that even now their lives were ever boring, how could they be? Nor was there any less passion between them than there had been when they first started stealing moments of alone time and rushed expressions of their mutual lust. To her however it was special and she'd keep it.

_"You've only been gone a few hours and I miss you already this place just it's right when you're not here xxxxx"  
_  
Reading the message again to imprint it on her mind for the boring morning that lay ahead she hit reply and typed quickly on the small touch screen.

_"Well if it weren't for you I'd not be here at all just remember that! I mean what am I supposed to do tonight when all these guys are in the bar drinking themselves stupid and I'm all alone with nothing but a king sized bed with no one to share it with to look forward to! xxxxx"  
_  
Smiling she hit the send button knowing the message was sure to drive him mad for the rest of the day then turned the phone off and slipped it back into her pocket. It wasn't that he didn't trust her; he knew she would never be unfaithful to him, but he kept telling her how it got to him to see the way other men looked at her. He often ranted about how he knew exactly what they were thinking because he'd been thinking it for years, he'd mentally undressed her, imagined how it would be to hear her whisper his name in the throes of passion and he hated that they were doing it. A mild pang of guilt nudged at her chest and she considered turning her phone back on before it was swept away as the speaker started droning on again about leadership qualities and she was reminded that he was a large part of the reason she was there at all.

Wednesday – 7pm – Evening 1

Closing her hotel room door and leaning back against it Sandra sighed heavily. It had been a long day and she had a sinking feeling it was going to be a longer night. She had barely had a minute all day one seminar had rolled tediously into another with nothing but the shortest of breaks for floppy sandwiches and luck warm coffee in the middle of the day and now she had to change for dinner and go down and smile and make small talk with a crowd of people she had no desire to spend another second with.

Flopping onto the bed she sighed reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out her phone. She hadn't intended to leave it off this long, she's meant to put it back on at lunch time and see what her very own bundle of trouble had to say for himself but it just hadn't happened. Now all she wanted was to hear his voice, to have him tell her that everything was ok at the office, that the place hadn't fallen apart without her and that, most of all, he was still missing her.

Pressing the on button she waited impatiently as the phone booted up then smiled as it flashed with warnings of 2 missed calls and 4 text messages. Confirming that the calls were from him she ignored them and switched immediately to the text messages.

_"Well if I was there I'd make sure you put the king sized bed to good use but since I'm not just make sure none of those guys who will be gagging to get into it with you get a chance. Tell them you're boyfriend is very big and very strong and VERY jealous and he'll sort out anyone who tries to lay a finger on you! The guys say hi btw they miss you too apparently but not as much as me. xxxxxx"_

Laughing aloud at the image of her acting like a 14 year old fending of the advances of all these guys he mistakenly imagined would find her irresistible by pointing out that her boyfriend would beat them up she flipped to the second message without replying to the first.

_"I hope you ignored my last message because you're engrossed in what you're being told because the guys are going nuts here without you you'll need all the leadership skills you can get to get them back in line if this keeps up! It's been 7 hours since you left now and I'm having withdrawal symptoms so text me when you get this. xxxxx"  
_  
Sighing at the idea that as she'd predicted her team were running riot in her absence she felt a small smile cross her lips at the thought that he was so desperate to hear from her. They hadn't done the whole "I love you" bit, she didn't believe in it…actually if she was honest she was scared of it, to say those words meant it was real it was supposed to last and it was her experience that with those three words she had managed to kill most of her previous relationships. No this time she was happy to take each day at a time but she loved the fact that this time, the first time they'd spent more than a few hours out of contact, he seemed to be craving her as much as she was him.

Opening the third message the self-satisfied contentment she'd felt washing away the stresses of the day came to a shuddering halt as she realised it had been sent only an hour before and his playful, I miss you so much mood was gone.

_"Sandra I wish you'd get back to me, I know you're the one that's always saying we shouldn't live in each other's pockets and that we're just taking each day as it comes but it's after 6 and you still haven't bothered to text me back. If you're getting these at all it'd be nice I you took a break from enjoying yourself to let me know you're ok."  
_  
Feeling her breathing get a little more ragged and panicked she flipped immediately to the last message her heart beat pounding in her ears.

_"I miss you. I thought I'd say it again. Clearly the feeling isn't mutual I'll see you Friday night we can talk then."  
_  
Feeling tears sting the backs of her eyes she paced the floor her hands shaking as she scrolled through her contacts missing his number twice and having to scroll back she was in such a panic.

"Shit!" she shouted to the empty room "shit, shit, shit" this was what she got for even thinking the L word, who did she think she was being content, that wasn't her that wasn't her life. It was supposed to be a tease, something to make him think for an hour until she got a break and could ring him and remind him that she missed him too but it had backfired and now she had blown it, she knew she had.

Putting the phone to her ear she listened as it rang… and rang….. and rang before going to voice mail. She hung up and hit the redial button listening again as the same thing happened.

"It's me" she said quietly this time when the recorded message finished trying to keep her voice level, trying not to show how upset she was and knowing she was failing badly in that endeavour. "Sorry…..it's been mad here I…well….Call me…. I'm going down to dinner I have no choice the seminar organiser used to know my Dad and he's been trying to corner me all day so I can't get out of it…..anyway bye…." Pausing for a minute mid-sentence knowing that he would be able to hear the tears in her voice she added in a whisper "Oh and I miss you too."

Sitting on the edge of the bed she threw the phone on the duvet beside her and tried in vain to pull herself together. How could she have been so stupid, so complacent? Had she learned nothing in the 50 odd years she'd been on the planet? Never relax Sandra, never believe it's your turn to be happy, never trust, never trust anyone not even those you feel you should be able to trust with your life.

Twenty minutes late for dinner she was changed and had done the best job she could to hide misery behind a mask of make-up as she and stood in front of the mirror looking herself up and down. The fifties style pastel blue dress she wore had been a gift from him, something she had never expected but which he had proudly presented her with when he arrived the evening of their first "official" outing as a couple. She'd brought it because she'd wanted a part of him there with her even when she was forced to socialise, when other female officers commented on it she wanted to be able to say "yes it's gorgeous isn't it, it was a present from my partner", she'd wanted to see the look on their faces at the thought that someone cared enough about her to pick something that suited her so well. Now she wanted to wear it so that in her mind at least she knew that she was still committed even if she'd blown it with him. Reaching for her handbag she looked one more time at her phone before signing and dropping it inside. Taking a deep breath she reached for the door handle just as there was a gentle knock on the door and a clipped voice she recognised as the receptionist called;

"Detective superintendent Pullman I have a parcel that was delivered to reception for you."

When she opened the door the carefully coiffured reception beamed as she handed her a small rectangular box and informed her that the instructions from the courier were that she was to receive it before she went down to dinner,

"Unfortunately I only came on shift and I wasn't informed I'm sorry it's late." The pleasant young woman smiled adding "Gorgeous dress detective superintendent."

"Thank you, it was a gift from my…." Sandra replied before feeling the words catch in her throat and smiling weakly as she closed the door.

Sitting at the small dressing table in the room she turned the package over in her hands noting that it had been sent from London that morning at 11am guaranteed same day delivery before she ripped the paper from it and held the square jeweller's box in her trembling hand as the small white card fell onto her lap.

_"I know you took the dress I thought this would go well with it. Just to remind you of me while men throw themselves at your feet. Miss you. Trouble xxxxx"  
_  
The trembling in her hand only increased as she opened the box and stared in amazement at the small turquoise heart shaped stone dangling on a delicate silver chain. It was spectacular and so much more than she deserved after what had happened today. Reaching for her bag she was determined to keep ringing him until he picked up when there was a more vigorous knock at the door and the loud voice of her father's long term friend called through it.

"Come on Sandra you're late for dinner and I've been waiting all day to get a good chin wag with you."

Lifting the necklace from the box she put it on and sighed deeply as she plastered on a fake smile and opened the bedroom door.

Wednesday - 9.30pm- Night 1

Walking through the hotel reception glad to have finally managed to extract herself from the evening's activities Sandra lifted her phone from her bag and glanced at it again before throwing it back in when she noted that it showed the same complete lack of activity it had all night. Her earlier panic had been slowly turning to a mixture of anger and dread all evening. She knew he was insecure, they both were , relationships had never been easy for either of them and they both had moments when they assumed that their happiness was never destined to last but the strong, independent side of her was now screaming that he had over reacted. Unfortunately it was still being drowned out by the vulnerable side of herself that feared loosing him and believed that was exactly what she'd done.

"Detective superintendent" the voice of the receptionists voice broke into her thoughts as she stood by the lift and she groaned at how close she had been to making a clean get away.

"Please call me Sandra," she replied as she turned trying not to show her disappointment "it's going to be a long couple of days and detective superintendent is way too much of a mouthful."

"Thank you I'm Judy," the young girl smiled before handing her an envelope "you had a call while you were at dinner we couldn't find you so I took a message."

"Ok" Sandra replied hoping the surge of hope that had overtaken her wasn't obvious in her face "thank you Judy"

Offering the other woman her warmest smile she turned to push the button on the lift only to realise that she still had company and turned again to see a nervous smile play across the younger woman's lips.

"I hope you don't mind me saying this Sandra." She said quietly clasping and unclasping her hands nervously. "But I noticed earlier that you were upset and I just wanted to say if it has anything to do with the person who left that message you have nothing to worry about. I took that call and he was desperate to speak to you, I don't think I've had so many questions about the wellbeing of a guest from anyone before. I tried to tell him I probably couldn't find you because you were in the bathroom or something and that I'd seen you just a short while before and you were fine but he was clearly worried about you. I only got off the phone by promising that I would personally make sure you got his message so... Well anyway like I said I hope you don't mind me saying but...well anyway I should get back to the desk."

Watching the girl leave as the lift dinged behind her Sandra felt like she'd been hit by a bus, a mixture of hope and confusion washing over her. Stepping into the lift she hit the button for her floor before opening the cream coloured envelope with shaking hands.

"I'm sorry, I miss you, it turned me into a bastard, forgive me?"

The words on the card inside brought tears to her eyes as she leaned back on the mirrored wall of the lift and sighed.

10 minutes later, changed into a fine cotton sleep shirt she grabbed her phone from her handbag and hit the on button on her laptop positioning it on the bed and sitting crossed legged in front of it with the mound of hotel pillows behind her.

The screen burst into life and as she was about to dial his number to finally put an end to the evening of torture she'd just endured an instant message box popped up in the middle of the screen.

_Trouble:- I've been waiting for you, I'm sorry Sandra I was a bastard, I was missing you, I was jealous, I couldn't stand the thought of you there with all those guys and me here going home to a house without you in it. Forgive me?_

Smiling she dropped the phone beside her and thought carefully about how she should reply. She could just ring him but she was becoming more and more convinced that they needed to talk and that might be easier if they couldn't actually hear each other's voices.

_DSISexKitten:- it was my fault too I didn't mean to ignore you all day I miss you too and there isn't a guy here that could make me forget that even if they were interested which I promise you they weren't! The only person who thinks I'm somehow irresistible to anything in trousers is you._

Hitting the send button she laughed softly as she spotted her screen name at the beginning of the message. He'd set up the instant messenger a few months before when their relationship was still a secret and she'd had her mother to stay preventing them from spending much time together in the evenings as they had become used to. She had hated the moniker he had selected for her. He'd informed her that she was his sex kitten and he liked it so after several attempts to get him to change it she'd given up.

_Trouble:- and the only person who can't see how irresistible you are is you! I shouldn't have gone off like I did though, having to get through today without seeing you or hearing you voice made me realise how much you make my days, well my life actually, better and I panicked. How's the leadership training going?  
_  
_DSISexKitten:- how do you think? I've never been more bored in my life. You know I feel the same don't you? That my life is a thousand times better now that I have you I was so scared I'd lost you when I got your messages I don't know what I'd do if that ever happened.  
_  
As the message duplicated itself in the chat box Sandra felt her chest tighten, they didn't do this, they didn't say these sort of things to each other and she couldn't work out if she was relieved that they were now or even more scared at what it all meant. Could she really let go enough to admit that she didn't want to imagine her life without him? More importantly if she did would it just lead to disaster. Staring at the screen as he seemed to be taking forever to answer the fatalist side of her brain was laughing ironically and mocking her with the realisation that it was probably the later.

_Trouble:- Sandra you just don't get it do you? Jesus for such a smart woman you can be really thick sometimes. You couldn't lose me if you tried, I'm going nowhere, don't you see that yet? Can't you see yet that I love you? That I'm IN LOVE with you?  
_  
Her heart pounded so hard against her chest that it felt like she might explode. What was he doing, how could he say that, he knew how she felt about it, he knew how it scared her.

_DSISexKitten:- Don't! Don't say that!_

Sending the only thing her fingers seemed able to type she felt a single tear roll down her check, how could he? That was it everything would fall apart now hadn't she proved that earlier? She'd allowed herself to momentarily think the word love and everything had gone to shit now he was actually saying it!

_Trouble:- Why not? Because it scares you? Well prepare to be scared a lot from now on because I swear that I will never let another day go by without saying it. I'll keep saying it until you realise I mean it and that because I LOVE YOU I'm going to be right by your side showing you every day for the rest of our lives. Today has made me realise that this one day at a time shit is rubbish. It's shown me that I never want a day to go by of my life that you aren't part of and if that scares you Sandra I'm sorry but it's the way it is. Now tell me you don't feel the same because I think you do and I think it's time you stopped letting the past hold what we have back, hell if I can you can don't you think?_

She couldn't think straight, she couldn't reply, she couldn't do anything but stare at the screen as her thoughts pulled her in 12 different directions at once. This wasn't supposed to happen, she'd never thought being with him would be easy but she'd not seen this coming. Suddenly she was shaken from her stupor by the ringing of her phone and as she lifted it and saw his name she knew this was it she could accept things for what they were and let go, or she could fight him on this and probably blow things completely. Hitting the connect button she listened silently as his voice filled her ear.

"Sandra? Talk to me" he said in the quiet soothing voice that she had grown to consider her solace from the outside world. "I'm not going to apologise for falling in love with you, I'm not going to say sorry for the fact that you've become the most important thing in my life but I am sorry if it scares you. Talk to be sweetheart, tell me you feel the same or even tell me you don't just say something."

"We don't do this" she whispered trying to force herself to say something more profound, something that would show him that she knew what he meant that she did feel it too she just didn't want to say those words.

"Well I think it's time we started doing it." He continued as she pushed the lap top away and stretched out on the bed closing her eyes and letting his voice wash over her. "Do you realise what it's been like for me today? There hasn't been a minute of the day that I haven't been thinking about you. The office seemed empty I wanted to go into your office and sit at your desk just to feel closer to you, I even brought you a bloody sandwich at lunch time because for a few minutes when I went out to get the lunches I forgot that you weren't there, you can imagine how that went down with the boys can't you?"

"Aww did they tease you?" she asked with a gentle laugh as some of the tension that was knotting every muscle in her body dissipate.

"Damn right they teased me" He snapped with an edge of irritation to his voice that she knew was aimed squarely at their colleagues rather than her. "But that's not the point the point is that it was just one small thing today that made me realise that I'm sick of this lets take one day at a time shit Sandra. It's been months and it's only getting better why can't we just accept that it might have taken a few years but we've finally got here, that this is where we belong, that it's ok to admit that we're in love?"

"Because it's too big, it's too much, it only ever leads to things falling apart baby you know that as well as I do." Sandra sighed wishing they were having this conversation face to face but also being glad that they weren't so he couldn't see the turmoil she was in.

"This isn't going to fail Sandra." He said with a conviction she was starting to believe he truly felt. "Do you love me?"

"You know I do, you said as much a few minutes ago, you know how I feel."

"Then say it." He continued the imploring tone of his voice gripping her heart like a vice. "Let me hear it Sandra tell me you love me."

"Why isn't it enough that you know its how I feel?" she asked "Why isn't t enough that you know that I'm lying here 200 miles away craving you like I've never craved anyone in my life? That I wish more than anything on earth that you were here right now holding me, touching me, making love to me and making everything else disappear like you do every other day of my life? Can't that be enough? If you mean what you're saying can't you wait till I'm ready to go there, to take that step when you know how much it scares me?"

"Ok…..ok I'm sorry" he sighed "I didn't mean to push you sweetheart I know it's a big thing for you and it is enough that I know how you feel, tis enough for me to know you're not going anywhere either, for now."

"Thanks you, I'll never know what I did to deserve you but whatever it was I'm grateful." Sandra smiled "So what was happening at the office? Anything I should know?"

"The usual ." he replied as she heard him sigh deeply too and knew for the moment the tension was past. "but I don't want to talk about them right now I want to talk about you and that huge king sized bed you've got all to yourself!"

"It's horrible" she laughed sitting up and closing the laptop down before setting it on the floor and stretching out in the middle of the bed as if to demonstrate her point. "It's too big for one person it's torture to be in it without you."

"You're tortured?" he scoffed "imagine what it's like fore me I'm in a bed that not only feels too big without you but that if I roll the wrong way I can still smell your shampoo off the other pillow that's proper torture you don't even want to know the things that have been going through my head all evening while you were being wined and dined."

"Tell me." She whispered allowing the relaxed, seductive edge to return to her voice as she heard him breathe deeply on the other end of the phone. "Tell me what you've been thinking why should you suffer alone?"

"You are a wicked woman Sandra Pullman you know that don't you?"

"Yes but that's one of the things you like about me now tell me, what have you been thinking about, what have you been doing to me in that sordid imagination of yours?"

"I want to make love to you. I want to make you cum so hard it takes your breath away. I want to do exactly what we did last night but I want to do it slower, I want to tease you, torture you until you're begging me to make love to you. I want to remind you that outside you may be the bad ass DSI but when we're alone you are all mine."

"Tell me how, tell me slowly, how would you torture me?" she gasped feeling every nerve in her body come alive at the memory of the frenzied, hard, desperate night of passion they'd shared before she left and longing, like he was, to relive those feelings in a way that they could savour.

"What are you wearing?" He whispered his voice raspy with the desire she knew matched her own as she told him about the short sleep shirt that barely covered her ass and the black lacy knickers that were all that were covering the areas she wished he was there to touch. "Undo the buttons on your shirt, if I have to tell you what I'm thinking I want to know you're feeling it as well as hearing it."

"What?" Sandra gasped being pulled back to reality for a moment by his comment.

"I want you to do what I'm telling you to do I want your hands to be mine for now until I can do it myself, you wanted me to make the world go away so let me do it. Don't tell me you've never done it because I know you have." He replied the challenge in his tone clear as she smiled and followed his instructions setting the phone down for a second while she pulled the sleep shirt over her head and dropped her underwear over the side of the bed. "Are you naked?"

"Yes" She replied "are you?"

"This isn't about me remember" he replied "it's about you doing what you're told so close your eyes and listen. You're body drives me mad, no matter when I see you, dressed or undressed it makes me want to pin you to the nearest wall and remind you what you do to me but I love it most when you are just like you are now, naked in front of me and all mine. I want to lie beside you and take you in my arms feel you skin against mine as I kiss you, feel the way that your lips melt into mine as I run my hands down your back feeling the perfection of your skin under my fingers. Can you feel it Sandra, can you feel my lips, my hands, are you with me?"

"Oh god yes." Sandra muttered her free hand involuntarily resting on her stomach as he continued to talk, telling her how he was resting her back onto the bed again, lavishing her neck in kisses before reaching her breasts taking first one and then the other in his hands rolling her nipples between his fingers and listening to the low moans he knew she'd be making.

"Do it for me sweetheart, let me hear it." He whispered as she followed his lead, gently caressing her breasts imagining it was him, that he was there with her instead of so far away, "what do you want Sandra tell me how it feels tell me what you want me to do."

"It feels amazing, it always feels amazing when you touch me." She replied her words ragged with the desire that was reaching fever pitch now "I want you, I want to feel your weight on me, I want you inside me making love to me, making my head spin the way it always does when we're together."

"You'll have to do it for me this time imagine my hand sliding the length of your body, my head buried between your legs as mu hands caress your thighs, my tongue teasing you bringing you to the edge then making you wait." He continued as she did as he asked her fingers teasing her clit sending shock waves through her body that she'd never felt when doing this on her own before. "Cum for me Sandra, let me hear that sound, the one that haunts my dreams when you're not here, the one that makes me want to make you do it again and again. Are you close? Tell me how it feels."

"Oh god…oh yes I'm…."She tried to say, her words coming out breathy and jumbled as she was over taken by waves of pleasure that tore at the edges of her senses making the word spin and his name echo around the room as it fell from her lips in a tortured scream.

"Jesus Sandra I love that I can do that to you." He muttered smugly in her ear as she came down from her high, her body still trembling from the force of it.

"Well you can and I think it's only fair that I return the favour." She replied in a voice so laced with contentment and exhaustion that it didn't even sound like hers.

"Not tonight my darling." He laughed. "I think we've had quite enough excitement for one day don't you? Tomorrow night maybe, for now sleep, you have another long day tomorrow."

"Ok" she agreed pulling the comforter over her and yawning "but definitely tomorrow night no maybe about it."

"Ok sleep well sweetheart." He sighed "and Sandra remember, I love you."

"I know." she replied sleep catching her too quickly for her liking "and I do feel the same you know, I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

**Long distance love 2/3**

**Disclaimer**:- I don't own New Tricks nor the characters which is just as well or there'd be a lot more things that would mean it had to be shown later at night!

**Pairing;**- Sandra / ?

**Rating**:- M

**Archive** : - . /group/new_tricksff/

**Authors note**:- This story contains adult material and is rated M for strong language and scenes of a sexual nature (as they say on the TV!) so if that's not your thing stop now !

**Summary**:- Sandra has been sent to a police conference in Cardiff and she's missing someone special but then that's what computers and instant messengers were made for right ? This is a three chapter story and the identity of Sandra's chat buddy is revealed in chapter 3 in the meantime happy guessing :)

Thursday – 8.30am – Morning 2

Stretching lazily in bed after what could only be described as a restless night Sandra sighed and looked at the clock. The initial pleasure induced sleep that she had given in to had lasted only a couple of hours before she was woken by the return of abject panic. She should have been happy she knew that, he loved her and he had told her so but she still couldn't quash the nagging fear that him saying so was the beginning of the end. Reaching for her mobile she scrolled through the numbers until she found the right one, she needed someone to talk to, someone she knew would be honest with her, someone she could trust.

"Morning, I hope you're ringing to say you're coming back early." Jack Halford said gruffly when he answered the phone and the light scolding tone to his voice immediately made her feel better. No one knew as much about her past, both personal and professional, as Jack. He was her mentor, her friend, and sometimes she even thought, her surrogate father. He'd tell her if her fears were justified and if he thought they weren't he'd not be long in telling her to get a grip.

"That bad huh?" she laughed, cringing slightly when she heard him groan loudly.

"Apart from the fact we're getting no work done you mean? And what exactly did you do to him yesterday Sandra because he was like a bear with a sore bloody head all day. Just come home will you it's easier that way!"

"Trust me I would if I could you have no idea how much I'd rather be at home right now and I didn't do anything to him….well I did but not intentionally. I'm sorry if he ruined your day yesterday."

"He misses you, we all do, but for obvious reasons he misses you more if I have to have another day of him prowling about the office like some sort of gaged animal I may join you in Cardiff, actually I might move there permanently. Now, what's going on Sandra is there something you want to talk about? I can't think of any other reason you'd be calling me at this time of the morning." Jack continued making her feel slightly like a child who had been caught out doing something they shouldn't, he could always see right through her.

"He told me he loves me." She said quietly trying not to be offended at the laugh that met her statement. "It's not funny Jack, you know my history, I'm worried now that he's said it I'm going to fuck it up. Again!"

"Oh Sandra you need to stop being so hard on yourself." Jack sighed "What did you say when he told you?"

"I panicked, I told him he wasn't supposed to say it then I refused to say it back, I told him if he really did love me he wouldn't make me say something I was uncomfortable with. He said that was fine but I'm worried Jack."

"And do you love him?" Jack asked, his question gentle and full of understanding. "Think for a second, can you imagine your days without him? Do you think about him constantly when you're not together? When you picture your future, years from now when UCOS is no more and we've all gone our separate ways, is he in it?"

"Of course I love him Jack do you think I'd be this upset if I didn't" Sandra replied feeling her heart rate soar at just the mention of the words. "I love him more than I've ever loved anyone in my life but I screw relationships up, I'm bad at them, I don't want it to happen again, not this time!"

"Listen to me Sandra Pullman." Jack replied his mild frustration being evident in his tone. "You will not screw it up and if you do I honestly think this time your relationship is strong enough to weather it. I know he loves you it's plain to anyone who has seen you together, even Brian knows and he is so clueless I'm surprised he ever managed to meet a woman like Esther let alone hold on to her so long. No relationship is easy there'll always be times when you wonder what you're doing, what he's doing and frankly what you are doing together but that's par for the course. Do you think me and Mary went through almost 40 years without a raised voice or a day when each of us thought we were screwing it up? That's commitment Sandra, that's what a lasting relationship is all you can hope for is that the goods time heavily outweigh the bad and enjoy it. The key is to decide you're there no matter what, that even when things are hard you're not going anywhere because you love the person in spite of, and sometimes because of, their faults. You're right I've watched you stumble from one disastrous relationship to another for years now but this time I think it's right, I think you're right for each other so why not just accept that and let things take their natural course. What's the worst that can happen? You get your heart broken? Well you've been there before and you've survived haven't you? But the best thing that can happen is that you have found the person who will make you happy for the rest of your life, just like I had with Mary and frankly I think that's worth taking a chance on."

"Thanks Jack." She sighed, feeling better already about things like she knew she would after talking to him and smiling as he cockily informed her it was all part of the service. "I'll see you on Monday and if he gives you any more hassle over the next couple of days tell him I said he'll regret it when I get home."

Ending the conversation with an inane chat about the office and the meeting they were having today that she would miss she opened a new text message box and thought for a moment about how to word her morning message. She could just say right out there and then that she loved him but after her conversation with Jack and her behaviour when he'd told her the night before she really felt she should wait and tell him face to face.

_"Morning trouble, miss you, don't have long lecture in 20 mins I'll keep my phone on today promise. Speak to you later xxxxx"_

Smiling she dropped the phone on the bedside cabinet before going to shower, a mischievous thought beginning to flower in the back of her mind. If she had to put up with another day in this hell hole no one would blame her for having a little fun would they? Not only that but she was pretty sure once he realised what she was doing he'd enjoy it as much as she knew she would and it would only make things more exciting when they saw each other again the next day.

Thursday – 12.30pm – Day 2

"So thank you for listening and as detailed in your program for today we adjourn now until 5.30pm when there'll be a fascinating seminar in moral building by one of the most corporate psychologists in the world." The man at the front of the room announced before moving away from the podium as the room appeared to empty in seconds.

Smiling Sandra pulled her phone from her pocket rereading his reply to her morning message one more time.

_"Morning to you too beautiful, and I bet I miss you more than you miss me! Enjoy your morning lecture I have this meeting at 1 but I'll call you when we're done. Oh and I'm sorry but I promised I'd do this every day, I love you and I always will."  
_  
When she'd read it at first, walking through the door of the conference room, she'd felt the beginnings of panic all over again until she heard Jacks words replayed in her mind and it was immediately replaced by butterflies in her stomach and a smile that she had been unable to lose all morning. Now she had some time to herself and she had every intention of using them wisely.

_"Well I'm pleased to say my afternoon off has begun, are you still being insufferable back there and has anybody actually done any work yet or am I going to come home to a desk full of case files that I will spend the next 3 months trying to get through?"  
_  
Hitting the send button as she got into the lift to return to her room she smiled. Modern technology was a wonderful thing, until right this moment she hadn't realised just how much fun you could have with only a mobile and someone you loved on the receiving end of your messages, now though she planned to take it to a whole new level, all she needed was to collect her handbag and hit the main street in Cardiff.

_"I'm always insufferable when you're not here it's just no one bothered to tell you before!"_

His reply came as she hailed a cab outside the hotel, making her laugh out loud and leaving her with no option but to reply.

_"Oh they've told me, it's just that this time they're letting you away with it because they know you have an excuse xxx. Going shopping, enjoy the meeting and maybe I'll buy something nice to surprise you with when I get back. xxxxx  
_  
Glancing at her watch she knew she had at least an hour and a half in which he would be busy, they'd never had a departmental meeting that lasted less than ninety minutes and considering the feedback she was getting about the disorderly state of the office and the fact that had a visiting officer to impress this one could only end up even longer. She knew what she wanted to do, she'd spent the whole morning not listening to the lecturer but instead planning it in meticulous detail, now all she needed was a department store and a little courage.

Getting out of the taxi she spotted exactly what she needed a large brick built department store that looked like it had been there since the turn of the century. Stepping inside she scanned the shop floor map, establishing which floors she needed before taking out her phone again and starting to text.

_"Can't stop thinking about you, and last night god I wish you were here right now I want you so much it hurts."  
_  
Smiling as the message was sent she tried to picture his face when he received it, they had a visiting officer coming to the meeting from Birmingham to see how the unit worked and she had delegated Jack to make the, what we do here, speech that would normally be her job. He'd be in full flow by now so the message should be perfectly timed.

_"Jesus Sandra I wish I was there too but you're not helping me concentrate on Jack's very informative speech here. I'll call before your evening lecture and you can tell me then how much you miss me. Mean time play nice!"_

"Oh you ain't seen nothing yet" she whispered to herself as she mounted the escalator that took her to the gifts section of the store wandering around for a few minutes before she found what she was looking for. The dark purple box lined with tissue paper and containing two bottles of "sensual massage oil", matching candles and small book entitled "How to drive your partner wild" was exactly what she had in mind. The thought of being close to him again, of feeling his hands running over her skin was rapidly increasing her heart rate and snapping a picture of the box on her phone she hoped it would do exactly the same to him. Paying for the gift set she paused for a moment at the bottom of the escalator to ladies wear attaching the photo to a message before adding;

_"Do you think I'd be able to please you with this? The book says its fool proof."  
_  
Smiling at the thought of the look on his face when he opened the message and how he would be able to keep his shock from the others made her laugh softly as she wandered around the women's wear department bypassing the clothing and heading straight for the lingerie department. She'd always had a weakness for truly beautiful underwear and it was something she knew from experience he appreciated. This time she was determined to find something extra special. Finally finding the rails she was looking for she was about to start on her quest when her heart leapt briefly as the sound of a message on her phone.

_"I have no doubt you could please me , you always please me, as a matter of fact if I had to stand up right now the whole room would know how much you can please me even from a couple of hundred miles away so give me a break pleeeeaaaassssseeee you are a wicked, wicked woman!"  
_  
Closing the message she sighed smiling broadly at how well her plan was going now all she needed was one more thing and by the time she spoke to him later he'd be desperate to let her do for him what he'd done for her last night. It didn't take long for her to find exactly what she wanted and talking briefly to the sales assistant she had everything she needed and was outside looking for a taxi back to the hotel.

Reaching the safety of her hotel room 20 minutes later she dropped her purchases on the bed. Removing the scarlet basque, matching panties and black stockings from the department shop bag she laid them out on the bed, being careful to show them in every detail before snapping the final picture on her phone. She knew that the meeting was probably over or close to being over but she attached the photo to a message anyway before adding;

_"Saw this and couldn't resist I'll be wearing it tomorrow night , for your eyes only xoxoxo"  
_  
Sinking onto the bed giving a contented sigh she glanced at the clock, an hour till the evening lecture, just enough time for a nap to get over her previous restlessness, now that she had made the decision to let things happen between then she realised she had relaxed properly for the first time in months and it felt fantastic.

"Hello." Sandra said groggily, the sound of her phone having startled her from the dreamless sleep she'd slipped into.

"Hello? That's all you can say after what you did to me today?" His teasing tone brought her to her senses as she sat up on the bed and looked at the clock realising it was already after 5."That guy from Birmingham has just left and I sure he thinks we're a right bunch of idiots, the guys knew something was going on and that you were probably behind it so they were having way too much fun trying to embarrass me the poor fella knows less brut UCOS now than he did when he arrived"

"Oh dear." Sandra laughed knowing that the insincerity in her tone was completely obvious "but can we talk about this later I fell asleep I have to be downstairs in 10 minutes. I'll check in with you online later. Don't miss me too much."

Hanging up without letting him reply she felt a moment of guilt that was quickly replaced by panic when she realised she now only had five minutes to freshen up and be down in the conference room.

Thursday – 9.30pm – Night 2

_Trouble:- What are you doing here honey I wasn't expecting you till later shouldn't you be at dinner?_

Smiling at the way her computer had been on less than 30 seconds and there was a message from him already Sandra finished changing before gathering her hair in a loose ponytail and settling on to the bed with the laptop in front of her.

_DSISexKitten:- couldn't listen to another night of crap in the bar, miss you too much I was going to ring you when I got settled._

_Trouble:- Hold that though my brother's here fixing the shower that you have spent the last few weeks complaining about I think maybe we should just stick to this were he thinks I'm working until he goes specially given the mood you've been in today!_

_DSISexKitten:- Awww am I not forgiven yet? I can't believe you are finally getting the shower fixed it's about bloody time the way it is at the min you have to run around under it to get wet! I mean apart from the fact it's a bitch getting ready for work in the morning you can't have any sort of fun in a shower that trickles!_

_Trouble:- Well by the time he's finished it should be powerful enough to have all sorts of fun, I miss you gorgeous I wish you were home and you really didn't help today!"_

_DSISexKitten:- I miss you too if it wasn't for the fact I'm stuck here till lunch time tomorrow I'd have just got in the car and come home tonight._

Hitting enter Sandra sighed, she really had considered just going, making some excuse about how she was needed back at the office and leaving, what would she really miss in some idiotic concluding lecture in the morning anyway? She'd known however that it was impossible you start these courses you finish them unless the world is literally coming to an end! Now that she'd made her decision all she wanted was to see him face to face, to hold him, kiss him tell her how sorry she was that she'd been an idiot and how much she loved him to and the idea of another night alone was killing her.

_Trouble:- You really want to come home? It'd be a 2 or 3 hour drive at least honey I want you home too but I want you to be safe not driving through the night._

_DSISexKitten:- I know but right now I'd risk it, anyway I can't but that doesn't mean we can't have fun as you proved very well last night. What did you think of my shopping trip today?_

_Trouble:- You know what I thought of it, all of it. You should have seen Jack's face when he saw me open that text he knew it was from you and it was something that raised my blood pressure he had way too much fun referring every question to me after that lol_

_DSISexKitten:- Yeah never underestimate Jack people look at him and think he's like everyone's loveable granddad but he's more trouble than the rest of you put together when he wants to be, that's why he's so good at his job he lures people into a false sense of security. Anyway I don't want to talk about him or any of the rest of them is John away yet I want to talk to you and I want you alone when I do!_

Leaning back on the pillows she sighed waiting for his reply hoping that his brother was not going to decide to hang around after he fixed the shower, she'd been waiting all day for this and she didn't want to wait any longer.

"Shit, who the hell is that." She muttered as there was a loud knock at the hotel room door making her jump as she leapt off the bed grabbing the bathrobe from the hook on the door before opening it a crack.

"Sandra, sorry to disturb you, I know it late." The gruff voice of her father's friend Albert, the conference organiser, called through the small gap.

"It's fine." She sighed opening the door a little wider and tightening the belt on the gown. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm afraid so" He continued "I've just had a call from the MET apparently you're needed back there, has to be tonight apparently, asked for details but he said he was just passing on the message so you'd best get organised and head off I'll make your apologies in the morning."

"Right," Sandra replied, trying to look disappointed and to hide both her amusement and her surprise. "I'll get going then and thanks….you know for the lectures….they were….well they were informative."

Bouncing back on to the bed she looked at the screen, he still hadn't replied, she knew that he was waiting for her to get the message and she could barely hide the excitement in her tone as she typed.

_DSISexKitten:- I've just had a visitor, apparently I'm needed urgently back at the office would you know anything about that would you?_

_Trouble:- Me? Why would I know anything, just get in the car and get back here I'll be waiting I'll make supper you'll be famished by the time you get here._

_DSISexKitten:- The only thing I'll be famished for when I get there is you see you in a couple of hours xxxxx_

Sending the final message she closed the computer and stared at it for a minute, she was going home, home to him, and when she got there she was going to make sure that he never doubted how she felt about him again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Long Distance Love ** 3/3

**Disclaimer:-** Don't own them just borrowing!

**Episode:- **None

**Pairing:-** Sandra/?

**Rating:- **M

**Achieve:- . /group/new_tricksff/**

**Summary:-** Sandra has been sent to a police conference in Cardiff and she's missing someone special but then that's what computers and instant messengers were made for right ? This is a three chapter story and the identity of Sandra's chat buddy is revealed in chapter 3 in the meantime happy guessing :)

**Author's Note:- **This story contains adult material and is rated M for strong language and scenes of a sexual nature (as they say on the TV!) so if that's not your thing stop now !

****Sorry for the delay in getting this out but everything has conspired against it to the extent that when I sat down this morning determined to get it done and out there I was a couple of paragraphs in and there was a power cut, lost the whole thing had to start again! I hope you all enjoy it and sorry to those who will be disappointed by the end but there will be lots of both Sandra possible relationship fics to come so if you didn't get what you were looking for this time watch this space it'll come **** ****

The road was all but empty as Sandra turned into the end of her street, she'd thought of going straight to his place, she'd wanted to if she was honest but then when she seen him she wanted to look less like she'd just driven 200 miles in the middle of the night. Pulling into her driveway she killed the engine getting out quickly and grabbing her bag from the back seat of the car.

_"Home. With you in 20 mins. Can't wait."_ She typed quickly into the message box on her phone before hitting send and climbing the stairs to her bedroom clasping the department store bag she'd been guarding since that afternoon.

It didn't take long for her to shower, do her hair and dress in the underwear she'd bought and as she slipped a simple A-line skirt and low cut black vest over the top she smiled. She knew right now it didn't matter what she was wearing he'd be so glad to see her he'd barely notice but it made her feel better after the long drive she'd had to freshen up and feel like she was making an effort for him.

_"It's been half an hour. I'm getting impatient here."_

The message chirped through on her phone as she grabbed her car keys and handbag again, rushing out the door.

_"On my way."_ She replied her heart pounding dangerously fast in her chest at the thought of what was to come. Getting back into the car she paused for a second trying to calm the nerves that were causing butterflies in her stomach and her hands to shake.

"Stop acting like some sort of love sick teenager Sandra!" She scolded herself sitting back in the seat for a second and closing her eyes. She knew that she was reacting to the idea that she knew she was about to make a real commitment, something she had avoided most of her life but as she turned the key in the ignition she was even more determined than ever that it was the right thing to do. The drive from her home to his was short but tonight in spite of the emptiness of the roads it seemed to take forever and as she pulled up outside his door she saw him watching from the window obviously as anxious to see her as she was to see him.

As she reached the door he opened it before she had a chance to knock taking her by the hand and pulling her inside and into his arms as he closed the door and pinned her to the wall in the hallway their lips colliding in a frenzy of pent up passion.

"Welcome home." He gasped when they finally broke apart his hands running down her back and resting on her ass pulling her closer as she smiled looping her arms loosely around his neck.

"Nice to be home." She laughed as he took her hand leading her through the apartment to his bedroom their mutual need making everything else irrelevant as their need to be close, to touch each other to make up for the two lost days took over. Tumbling into the room his hands set to work, pulling her fine vest over her head and lowering the zip on her skirt until her clothes lay in a pool on the floor and she stood before him in the figure hugging basque and stockings.

"God you look amazing." He said quietly his eyes drinking her in in a way that made her want him even more as she stepped closer to him, adding his jeans and shirt to the pile of clothes on the floor as he trailed hot kisses down her neck and across the swell of her breasts. Guiding him back toward the bed she pushed him gently on to it straddling his hips and kissing him passionately as he undid the clasps holding the basque in place and it fell from her body giving him access to her breasts.

"I've missed you so much." Sandra moaned as he caressed her breasts and she slipped off the red lace panties that match the basque now lying on the bed beside them taking his length in her hand and guiding it toward her centre.

"I love you Sandra." He whispered as she sank onto him her head falling back as she revelled in the sensation of how he filled her, how right it felt to have him inside her and how she could hear him say those words and no longer feel the same panic as she had before. Grasping his hand for support she moved slowly teasing him by pulling almost completely off his length before sinking back down drinking in every groan and sigh her actions were eliciting from him. She would never tire of how when they made love he made her feel like she was the only woman who had ever pleased him, the way he whispered her name, told her how amazing she was, how beautiful, how much he wanted her. Feeling the familiar waves of pleasure begin to overtake her she gripped him hands a little tighter fighting to keep up the rhythm she'd started as he moved with her his hips meeting her with every thrust and she knew she was close too as his eyes met hers and with a final thrust he filled her, her name still echoing around the room as she fell into his arms and they lay together gasping for air.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We need to talk." Sandra said an hour later as they sat on the sofa in his living room surrounded by the left overs of the salad he'd made them for supper and the half empty bottle of wine that they were slowly making their way through. "Or rather I need to talk."

"I've pushed you too much haven't I?" He replied, sadness crossing his eyes as she realised he was misinterpreting the meaning of her words.

"No, no you haven't I was to say sorry, sorry for the way I reacted when you told me you loved me, it wasn't fair I…"

"I told you it doesn't matter, I don't want you doing anything you're not ready for." He interrupted taking her hand as she lifted a single finger to his lips to silence him.

"Will you let me speak?" She smiled running the fingers of her free hand down his cheek. "I have things I need to say and you're not making it any easier right now ok? I'm sorry about how I reacted that's the main thing, I shouldn't have acted like I did and I know that. I know that you love me I just find it hard to accept it at times because as I've said a dozen times I don't exactly have a great track record when it comes to relationships."

Pausing for a second and taking a deep breath Sandra tried to think of the right words to say what she needed to say as he opened his mouth to speak and she shook her head firmly.

"I've spent my whole life being self-sufficient not relying on anyone because I've never felt like I really could. I've always been focused on getting from one day to the next without getting hurt and until now every time I've even thought I might love someone or they might love me it's gone to hell as soon as I relax. I think it's different this time though, I spoke to Jack this morning and he as good as told me to stop being an idiot and he was right. He said commitment wasn't easy and that there'd be times when things were hard but he believes that you love me and that I love you and if things are hard we'll manage, and I think he's right."

"Of course he's right." He smiled the nervousness leaving his gaze as he squeezed her hand kissing her gently "You've never really got it have you? I love you Sandra more than I've ever loved anyone in my life and I know how scary that is because I've been through my share of disastrous relationships remember? But I know this is right, I can't imagine a single day for the rest of my life without you in it, I want to tell the world that I love you, I want them to see how lucky I am that you choose to be with me, and I want to be with you forever. I don't need you to tell me you love me I just need you to be here that's enough for me, for now and even forever if that's how long it takes for you to be comfortable with it. I…."

"Now you're not getting it." Sandra interrupted shaking her head slowly. "I am ready, I know I was being stupid, I'm ready to make that commitment and accept that this is forever, don't you think I feel just as lucky to have you in my life? No one has ever made me feel the way you feel and I know what that means and how important it is so I'm ready if you mean it when you say you love me then I'm ready to…"

"Damn right I mean it." He said with conviction dripping from his words as she pulled him close so their eyes were level her hands gripping his as she smiled.

"I love you Gerry and I always will." She said quietly a shocked laugh escaping from the back of her throat as he closed the small gap between them kissing her passionately and she sank into his arms again feeling for the first time in her life like she was truly home, with the person she would be with for the rest of her life and it felt amazing!


End file.
